Ticking and Toile

Well hello there my friends.....it has been quite awhileI am still here :)how about a little bathroom eye candywhile I catch you up on life....{photo credit decorpad.com}it's been over 4 years since I posted last...and honestly just about if not certainlythe hardest 4 years of my lifenot to be too dramatic...just honest....{photo credit classyclutter.net}...it has been several years of transitionfor this mama....children graduating high schoolgoing to collegeserving missionsaka leaving the nest....wow...what a heart wrenching experienceit has been for me...but I am learning to cope...learning to let go...and realizing they aren't gone forever...let's go back to some eye candy before this gets too deep...{photo credit French Country Cottage}oh do I love Courtney's style at French Country Cottage...its simply a m a z i n g!so if the kiddos growing up was the(I have one kiddo still in high school...senior year....) only major life changeand upheaval I was experiencing,I would say wonderful!oh...loving the paint finish here...{photo credit Tidbits and Twin}but we combine that with going back to workfull-time....to a very stressful job unfortunatelycommuting an hour or more each way, in horrid trafficdealing with Mr Ticking and Toile's career upheaval,a couple major health challenges we won't go there nowand you have your ~general everydayblogging disappearing act....I tell ya....it's been one for the record books...quite the challenging time in my life...it has stretched me more than I thought possible...and literally dropped me to myknees ~ submitting to God....knocking...pleading...praying...more than ever before...He has been there...He has lifted me...and strengthened me....because of Him I have been ableto get through these storms....my faith is strongermy marriage is strongerand our family is stronger...~*~and I am on the upswing...things are getting better...and life is starting to even out a bit...~*~phew...time for a little moreeye candy....{photo credit apartment therapy}I am realizing I've never written any ofthese thoughts down....even though I have journaled in the past...it's been a little too hard for me to even journal...{photo credit Velvet and Linen}none of us are immune from trials and challengesin life...it's what we do when we're in the middle of them....One of my favorite quotes....so here I am...growing, stretching, and believing...talking to my blogging buddies...and resurfacing...sharing the journey with you, my faith with you,and my dreams with you... {photo credit Country Living}I imagine us sitting at the kitchen table... flipping through decorating magazines, talking about life...laughing, crying,and strengthening...and in the middle of it...getting distracted with eye candy...and dreaming of what we're gonna do next...what fun projects to embark on...recipes to try...gardens to plan...and dreams to fulfill{photo credit Werandacountry.pl}so join me...stop by...say helloand sit for a spell...let's reconnect...thanks for stopping by...see you soon...xoxo,Shellagh[...]

Hello hello!!!Where in the world have I been?via pinterestsome of you have been so sweet,inquiring....... checking in on me to make sure I'm still around....:)via pinterestwell no worries.....all is well!! :) :)I took an unplanned break....and because I'm kinda boring likethat, I don't even have a good excuse...It's my same ole' story....holed up in my work room.....work work work work work.....no time for decorating....{boooooo!!!!}no time for projects....{bonus for Mr. T & T}no time for housekeeping...{just knock down a cobweb every now & then...and wipe down counters once a day....}or grocery shopping...{thank goodness for a teenager who can drive & for my girls who love nothing better than "a party in the grocery store" whiledoing the grocery shopping for mom!!! :) }or cooking{it's a good thing I've been training them since they were wee little girlsto cook!! cuz they've done their fair share!!}or personal hygiene{good grief~ my roots are ridiculous.....you've heard of ombrehair color right??? well I'm developing my new ombre style....}or....or....or..........via pinterestI've been working 6 days a week for as long as I can remember....at least 8 months I would say.....yikes!but what a huge blessing it is tohave my littleTicking and Toile Linen Shoppe{for those of you who haven't a clue what I'm talkingabout!! :)}it's been growing growing growing!!!and I've been hanging on for the ride &just trying to keep everything undercontrol!!! we just hired another seamstress....so now I officially have 2 full-time& 2 part time seamstresses....and an on-call crocheter! :)c.r.a.z.y.but fun....but busy...I did have the opportunity to be a part of theJunk Salvation showwith Kathleen from Faded Charmway back at the beginning of February...she asked me to come, along with mybedding & pillows & such... so I was able to display my linens on hergorgeous vintage bed....and hang around & chat with people,and help Kathleen when the crowd was swarming...{of course her booth was one of the best there!}it was a lot of fun! and I met a lot of people who followed my blog :) :){and yes I felt soooo guilty for the recent lack of blogging....}we created some new items for the show...a couple union jack pillows....one is shown abovehere's another: this one is my favorite...tattered & all...and a new duvet cover....lots of ruffles of course!! :)and some new linen pillowcases with hand crocheted edges...sooooo beautiful & soooo french country....anyway...lots of fun stuff!!if you'd like to take a closer lookclick here and hop on over to my store...I did have the amazing opportunityto work in my garden beds yesterday....via pinterestfirst time in f.o.r.e.v.e.r.it was 62 degrees out & sunny blue sky!so I grabbed my gloves & clippers andwent to work!it felt soooo good!something so therapeutic about digging in the dirtand listening to the birds sing....ahhhhhhhh :)via pinterestdreaming of lilacs blooming....and clematis scrambling up the rose arbor....via pinterestspring is definitely on the way....I love spring!all the little plants poking their heads outof the soil after a long nap....so exciting......:)I have so many plans this year....like fine tuning my english garden....love the allium shown above withthe boxwood hedge...I've got the boxwood hedge justnot a certainty of what's going inside....I've done veggies, petunias,and a mix of everything...but this year I think I want somethingdifferent.....allium?roses?lavender?via pinterestideas????please share! :)~*~well I guess it's time to get back to work!it's been so nice chatting with you thismorning & I promise I'll do better getting back on here!fair warning though~ it may just be me rambling about life with some pretty pictures for you to look at :)via pinterestI hope your day is fantastic!!xoxoxoxo,Shellaghbtw....I do post every single dayon facebook!!!so come over for some more inspiration![...]

Hello everyone!!!!!Seriously!a disappearing act.....I almost forgot my login....it's been so long! :)I have been so busy & just haven'thad much to share....ya' know???if I actually had time to decoratemy own house again.....I would definitelybe sharing more often!{but I do post inspiring pictures onfacebook each day....so follow me over thereif you like!click here forTicking and Toile on Facebook}right now I'm just having fun helping other's decorate their homes right now! :){by means of my Ticking and ToileLinen Shoppe, in case you aren't followingme! My Etsy store found here}most recently, my Michigan BFF Laurie,from Heaven's Walkdreamed up a tablecloth we made for her..I love the way it turned out!!I'm loving the double ruffles & the frayed edges...Now if you don't know Laurie....you need to!Here's her blog link so you can follow her...she's a doll!she is just amazing....I am in love with her home, her garden &she is just the sweetest!!ok...back to Christmas...today is the day for our familyto decorate!!! Yay!!!!lights are going up outside,the tree is getting decorated inside,as well as the rest of the house...and bonus...it's sunny out!!woo-hoo!it's been raining all week so thisis a surprise!right now I'm totally obsessed withthese skinny trees in buckets or baskets...just love them!but to find a tree like this around hereseems next to impossible....everything is fat & bushy!I need a Charlie Brown tree!! :)although this little guy is a little fatter,and looks totally adorable in an old box!well....time to get going...I've heard.....I am way behind on decorating....I've heard....all the bloggers are alreadyshowing their homes....oh well! wouldn't be the first time!! lol :)I'm just excited to do it today!How's your decorating coming??if you're all done,do not tell me....;)if you're just starting...feel freeto leave a comment! lol :)no seriously, I'd love to hear from you either way! Have a great weekend!!!xoxoxo,Shellagh{all images via Pinterest & foundhere}[...]

Hello everyone!!!How is this beautiful autumn daytreating you??I hope it's good!I hope it's sunny!we've been rained on over here, since Oct. 12thapproximately......although the sun is peeking out today! :)I have to say....I'm not ready for the non-stoprain.....not. quite. yet.well actually I'll never be ready...who am I foolin'???~*~I love neutrals....I just never get tired of no color....n.e.v.e.r.white, cream, grey, beige, off-white...never tire of it....white bowls, plates, cupstowels, slipcovers, blankets,walls, cabinets...no need for color here...I got color outside...hehehehetrees, flowers, grass...I do have color in my clothing...some.is black a color??hehe....my girls basically forceme to buy bright things....so I'm not just a walking monotone girl...I guess I just l.o.v.e.the neutrals.....they make me happy.....how about you?are you a neutral girl at heart??or do you yearn for color??are my children color deprived??{well we do have s o m e color}here & there....well sort of ....in their rooms at least! ;)I do believe I could live with the little chairabove.....cutest little thing huh??Hope you are all doing fantastic!!xoxoxo,Shellagh{all images via Pinterest & found here}[...]

Hello everyone!!Happy Sunday to you!Are you going to be in class?what class you may be asking??maybe this will give you a clue.....I know if you're like me....you've lovedpouring over her pictures these last couple years...if you recognize her home...it's ofcourse Tracey Leber's ofFrench Larkspur....well as you may know...Tracey and a few other very talented ladiesteamed up to create an amazing online course.... that startst.o.m.o.r.r.o.w......who will be joining Tracey?Sara Duckett....Jennifer RizzoKimberly Taylorand lastly Jeanne Oliver....wow!!! what an unbelievable amount of~sure creative genius~ bundled up in onesure to be amazing course!!!I will be there & I'm sooooooexcited to soak up every bit ofcreative, decorating, displaying, photographing goodness!!If you haven't signed up yet....here's the link!click here to sign up!Hope to see you there!xoxo,Shellagh[...]

Hello friends!Been a little buried over here....butwanted to stop in & say hello! :)I'm getting ready to decorate my front porch ~ a little~just barely enough to be some kind ofrespectable blogger.....sheesh....seriously!how do you put up with me??? ;)so I've been off browsing for inspiration.....I like the simplicity of this one littlepumpkin in a zinc pot....isn't this cute w/ the silver & pumpkins mixed together??I know, I know....this doesn't look like a front porch....I'm distracted....as usual! heheheit's the pinterest/facebook/blog/magazine ADDkicking in!ok.... f.o.c.u.s.....front porches.....find some that inspire me.....k here goes....I kinda like the look of piles of pumpkinsmixed in with the decorative cabbage....I'm still trying to decide if I want color~gasp~or if I want to go with all neutrals...my all time favorite picture is from Dusty Lu's....~boy is she ever talented!I absolutely love the white pumpkins & corn stalks mixed with the faded hydrangea blooms....I'm still trying to find a place that haswhite pumpkins...I might just have to paint orange ones...I love the asters planted in the pails too...simple but beautiful!I adore this next picture too....I'm sure a lot of you have seen it...it's been around the net awhile now...but it's just gorgeous!just need me some big ol' urns to dumpa pile of pumpkins into!love it!k back to color....love the pumpkin topiaries...you like?or do you prefer the white pumpkins? (duh!)hehehebut seriously!the bright orange is kinda fun!did you see this one from Heather Bullard?such a great use for an old chair frameyou might have laying around!ADD warning.....I'm back inside....I'm thinking I love this little vignette...super cute ~ I think they are spray painted pumpkins...cute!I love the scampering rats on the piano!so fun!well I'm off to get some corn stalksand a few more pumpkins....I think tomorrow is our last dayof sunshine...:(we've had the most amazing weather...it has notrained since I can even remember!!!probably 2 1/2 or 3 months!!!can you believe it??but it starts this weekend....pouring rain....on it's way...boo!Normally I would ask you if you'vegot your decorating done....but I am pretty certain I'm one of the last ones so I won't even go there! haha!Hope everything is going great!Take care my friends!xoxoxo,Shellagh{all images via} [...]

Hello everyone!!Happy Friday!!baaaaaaaaad blogger.....I am....yup....that's me.....busy busy busy busy busy....linen washin', dryin', ironin' & cuttin' machineover here!but it's been over a week &I missed my Tutorial Tuesdayyes, I know....I feel so small....just couldn't pull it off.....too many other things to barely pull off...hahahaha! :)so I'm forcing myself to sit down, catch up &say hello! :)and I thought you might enjoy somelovely french country inspiration....you know ~ I do believe this is my"true style"other styles really do inspire me...JDL, shabby chic, and such....but I'm pretty sure, I can definitely say...I shoulda been born somewherein the French countryside.....somewhere with stone floors....and stone walls...somewhere with a big ol' fireplacelike so.....and patina everywhere....you with me?somewhere with exposed wood ceilings....or at least rusticbeams everywhere....I love the warmth of it all~and let's not forgetthe worn wood, worn painted surfaces,and the linens...and the chandys.....can't get enough of those mixed in withall the rustic-ness.....and of course....you gotta have a little bit of vintage toile mixed in....a throw, or a quilt is just right....love it....love it all....how about you??are you torn between styles?have you wrestled with that??or have you found it &can say "this is me! once & for all!"do tell!and have a fantastic weekend!xoxoxo,Shellagh{all images via}[...]

Hello friends!!Hope everyone is fantastic :)We are still enjoying the mosta.m.a.z.i.n.g.weather.....high 80's ~ mid 80'sso crazy!but definitely not complaining!well, if you know me at all, youknow I seriously d.r.a.g. my feet headin' into fall.....but, this year I'm feeling like I might be ready!I'm even a little excited! ;)so why not start thinking of fun ways to decoratewith pumpkins??I found this cute little pumpkin onPinterest.....{where else is there?? haha!}so clever & cute!from Mitzi's Miscellanyusing mod podge & doilies...so darling!first: spray paint the pumpkinsbeing careful to cover the stems...and then start applying the mod podgeand the doilies!so easy!now I would be hard pressed to findo.n.e. s.i.n.g.l.e. doily in my home....of course!those would be in the goodwill bag sent out a few months ago!cuz I definitely "wasn't going to use these" hahahaha but maybe you guys weren't quite as hasty as me??? so now's the time to drag that box out & see what you've got!Be sure to head over to Mitzi's blog for moredetailed instructions :)K time for one more???super simple and perfect!! {especially since I know most of you have a stash of chalk paintin your garage! ;)}from Centsational Girlhow cute is this????I especially love it with just a touch oforange showing.....simply paint & distress!~*~Have you starting to decorate for fall?Are you feeling ready forthe change in season?????Fill me in!Have a great day!!xoxoxo,Shellagh[...]

Hello everyone!it's Monday.....how's it been so far?? :)I have to introduce you to "Mirabelle"french translation......lovely.....oh she is lovely....made of the most amazingEuruopean Linenin French Blue....pretty button detailing....long flowing ruffles....she's almost like a ball gown.....for your bed.....have I piqued your interest??would you like to see herall dressed up & ready for the ball?Mirabelle.....features a generous 15 inch turndownbeautiful button detailingpiping edging a 24 inch skirt lengthand flowing yummy ruffles....our latest lovely in the Ticking and Toile Linen ShoppeCome have a look & tell me what you think!xoxo,Shellagh[...]

Happy Friday everyone!!!l.o.v.e. Fridays.....especially sunny Fridays....lately I've been so inspired by linen& lace.....it's so beautifuland dreamy!this is one of my all time favoritebedroom pictures....so much to love about it!how about that crocheted overlay???2die4!!~*~so, I shared with you a week or so agosome heirloom bedding we were working on....well we've since shipped it off to my wonderful customer down in Texas....I am so thrilled with how it turned out& so is she!!here's what she had to say:Gorgeous heirloom bedding... love everything about it! High quality linen and the perfect weight for bedding. Stitching and crochet work is top notch and everything laundered beautifully. We wanted a set like this from a well known, luxury bedding company online, but weren't excited about the price tag. Shellagh produced the same quality bedding (if not better) than the other company we have been buying from for the past few years... and she did it at about half the cost. Reality check for how much we pay for a "brand name" alone. Thank you, Shellagh! Truly, you did an amazing job and we are thrilled!I was so happy to hear she loved it so much!It definitely made it soooo worth it!here's a couple shots of the duvet coverand dust ruffle we made for her~the crocheted edges turned out just lovelyher set included matching sheetsand pillowcases....which made for a dreamyturndown.....and here's a full shot of the bedding....now (of course) I need a set for myself!!that's the problem with making beautifulbedding.....it gets really tough to send it out! ;)Super excited to have this in the Ticking and Toile Linen shoppe now!this all started with a photo from our customer &a dream of what she wanted....we're more than happy to turn yourbedroom dreams into reality!Thanks so much for coming by!!I hope you all have an amazing weekend!xoxoxo,Shellagh{images via: 1-3 here}[...]

Hello hello friends!!I hope you're all having a terrific weekso far! Mine is good....the sun is stillshining so I definitely can't complain!﻿I've been wanting to share this tutorial with you for awhile ~but it just felt toooooocomplicated!too many ingredients in the recipe ya know?{oh you know how your eyes glaze over when youhit about item number 9 in a recipe you want to try?well that was me with this one.....too many steps...too much work....for this girl! ;)}But I reeeeeeeally like this look so I kept digging....and found an easier way!yay!!!!!!!!I came across it in a very round aboutway ~ but I'm thinking it's gonna work! ~*~so here' what you do!frame a piece of glass {not a mirror}now go to this website(another Graphics Fairy success story)and follow the simple directions on enlarging images to transfer to furniture,walls, or whatever else you can some up with!{this is sooooo cool &no stencils required!}then simply tape your imageto the back of your glassand paint your words with glass paint!~*~now the aged mirror part:follow this easy techniquefor an aged mirrorshe just used good ol' Krylon Spray Paintin "Looking Glass"and then spritzed a teeny bit of wateron it & let it dry!!~*~awesome huh???I totally want to do this!!!what do you think?too many steps?are your eyes glazed over??or do you wanna give it a try??Just think of the possibilites!Got a cool ornate frame somewhere?get glass cut from a glass cutter, orLowes or Home Depot!find your graphicprint it outpaint it upand krylon it!love it!xoxoxo,Shellaghimages: 1st here2nd here3rd here4th here[...]

Hello friends!!How is everybody doing??I am fantastic!We have had more than 60 days ofs u n s h i n e!!!!!!﻿this time of year is seriouslyamazing in the Pac NW....warm, sunny & just perfect.....it's really too bad it has to end! :(but it will ~ it'll give way to rainrain rain rain rain rain rainrain rain rain rain rain rainrain rain rain rain rainin just about another month or so....ok ~ where am I going with this??you saw the post title &you're thinkin' whaaaaaaatis she talkin' about today??well I came across this on pinterest the other day......and my daughter, Kenzie & I werejust shocked at what we found............drumroll please.......do you suffer from mom butt?jeans on the left Old Navysame bottom, on the right, in LA Idol{never even heard of that brand to be honest with you....but you know me....I spend all my timeadoring linen & pillows & such...:)}c.r.a.z.y!what a difference!holy cow....I'm afraid I've beenguilty!now this is NOT my butt!she's only like 50 years younger than me...hehehemeet Rachel....from Grasping for Objectivityshe is just adorable....and has quitethe thriving blog of over 40,000 followers!wow! she recently made quite the caseagainst Gap & Old Navy beingmanufacturers of the dreaded "Mom Jean"check this out..... yikes!now I'm no fashion ninja...but I think I would've felt somewhat safewearing Gap jeans????not so!"oh no you don't, 'miss 40 somethin'.....don't be puttin' that behind of yoursin those babys!"need more proof?crazy huh??Run over to her blog & check it out for more compelling evidence againstthe mom jean.....hereand what timing to uncover this information!my girls (3 of them + a friend)forced me to buy new jeanson Saturday....have you heard of Miss Me's??only a hundred smackers....yikes!but I tried them on "just to see"if all my crazy working out& squats & lunges & deadlifts& ballet squats etc...made any difference on this here derriere...and my girls freaked!they were like ~"mom! you rock those jeans!!" to use their words exactly....now mind you ~ they are used to seeingme slough about in my old levis....(actually cut off levis to be more precise...;) )so I bought them.yup.you wanna picture?k next time...hehehe I promise.....got no photographer here right now sotomorrow ok? heheAND I also got some super cuteboots!very similar to this picture!now don't be thinkin this lovelygorgeous blonde is me ok?I think she's a celebrityof some sort!but I really like this whole outfitand "need" some jeans like hers now...oh and the sweater...um, and the necklace....well, ok her figure too, would be nice...so run to your closetgrab your gap or old navy jeansand p.u.t. t.h.e.m. o.n.and check yourself out...are you wearing mom jeans?if yes, burn them.proceed to Macy's/Nordstrom/Buckleand grab yourself a new pair...if no, congratulationsyou are one lucky duck with boo-tay of yours! :){or you're just hugely self confident &you should applaud yourself, regardless!! :)}Have a wonderful day!!xoxo,Shellagh{denim images via here}{the rest from here}[...]

Hello everyone!!Hope you enjoyed a great holiday weekend......our family always loves an extra day....but I honestly cannot believe tomorrowis the first day of school....:(tomorrow morning will be a r.u.d.eawakening....yikes!{early mornings=boo!}awhile back I learned a very handytransfer method for burlap......easier than using a stencil....quicker than fabric paint....it's the method I use in my linen shoppeto create the images on pillows such as this oneit takes just a teeny bit of practice ~but once you get it the possibilities areendless!So here' what you need:imageburlapimage transfer paperironhard table topOK....I've tried several types of transferpaper & this is the ONLY one to use!it's by Wiltoncalled Jolee's Easy Image Transfer Paper"light"I buy mine at Michael'sseriously, do not waste your moneyon other brands unless you want a stickynasty mess on your hands! :)Ok...so throw out their instructions...hahahaha!no really!1) prepare your burlap...iron if necessaryand decide where you want your image(I use masking tape to secure the burlap in placeso it doesn't shift around on the table)2) print your image (use the mirror imagein your print preferences if you're using any text)put the transfer paper in w/ the red line "up"btw....tons of free graphics at The Graphics Fairy3) once you've printed your image,cut around the image as close as you canwhile leaving just enough (maybe a centimeter)around the edges, so you can peel it off afterironing it on.4) k...now make sure there's no waterin your iron & it's on the hottest setting*tip*if it's a larger image with multiple wordsor whatever, cut them out individually....5) place the image where you want it& press straight down...(so it doesn't shift around)once you initially iron it so the glue is activated,you can move the iron around a bit & make sureyou get every little area of the image....6) now once you feel pretty confident you'veironed the whole image down securely....start to pull off the paper..*huge tip*this is where the trick comes in....very important!!you will want to iron right where you start to pull off the paper ~ right beforeyou pull the paper off... meaning...the paper has to be super hotwhen you start to peel it off or the glue will show up! I basically keep ironing as I'm pullingit off....otherwise it doesn't work right!super hot paper=no glue residue or glossy background!*one more tip!*if the paper is hard (at all) to pull off ~ you know youneed to re-iron ie..heat up that section again...keep it hot baby! ;)that's it!!no glue-y residueno shiny glossy funky "iron on" lookawesome vintage looking graphic on your burlap!one last thing to remember...do notiron image after it's created!Let me know if you give it a try! Have a great day!!xoxo,Shellagh﻿[...]

Good morning!I'm so excited to share with youour new Heirloom Collection inthe Ticking and Toile Linen Shoppe.....it's so beautiful....this is truly luxury bedding....the softest linen...adorned with hand crocheted edging....meant to be passed on from generationto generation....I've been wanting to add this type of productto my store for quite awhile now ~and a custom order gave us just the pushto get it done!I feel quite fortunate that one of my dear friends, Merry, ~quite an amazingwoman~ is extremely gifted whenit comes to crocheting....when I approached her about this order, she was eager to help us createwhat our client envisioned....we picked a pattern & matched the linenand off to work she went....the finished product was nothing less thanstunning.....I can't even imagine attempting it ~I would tied up in knots along with the thread!!oh I've tried that before....not happening...not for me! ;)but she created rows and rows ofedging that is flawless....f.l.a.w.l.e.s.s.so excited to show her work!and excited for my customers to haveher beautiful work in their homes....right now we offerpillowcases, and sheets with this gorgeoustrim....in a day or so we will be adding a stunningduvet cover as well ~ I'll be sureto post pics! :)Thanks so much for coming by!Have a great day!xoxo,Shellagh[...]

Hello everyone!How's your day going?Mine is good! :)Thanks for all the birthday wishesfor my daughter Kenzie!we had a blast all day &she had an amazing birthday :)I found this cute little tutorial recentlyfrom Confessions of a Plate Addictand I really thought it was cool!and it opened my eyes to so many possibilitiesof creating from stuff we just have laying around!!like any old box or crate!she actually used a clementine box!add a little paint, some mod podge & a vintagegraphic & you've got a darling little planterhead over here to see the full tutorial...don't worry it's short & sweet! :){my attention span is very short ya know!;) }and one more....this is just too cute....and unfortunately the tutorial is inVietnamese....so you gotta go by the pictures...but isn't this little bag just darling??I'm thinking holiday time when we taketreats to all our friends....wouldn't this be cute with a red gingham ribbon?yep it would....love it & not too hard...I might even be able to do it!! hehehere's the link if you'd like to give it a whirl...and super cheap, might I add!newsprint & paper doilies from dollar store &a little ribbon....love it!Hope your day is amazing!!xoxo,Shellagh﻿[...]

Happy Monday!!How's everyone doing on this new Monday?I'm super happy today~it's my daughter's birthdayMackenzie Cole...she's 15 today!and she is just the most awesomedaughter anyone could ask for....she's sweet, compassionate, caringwitty, super funny, smart,and generally, a dream to be around....super low key, but at the same timehigh energy!I love her!! :)we've got an awesome day plannedfor her!but while she's momentarily detained.....out to breakfast with Mr. T & T{one of our family traditions is Dad takes them out to breakfaston their birthday :)} I wanted to check in withyou!are you in love with gustavian style?do you dream of grey & pale bluefinishes??? are you crazy over worn wood,distressed grey cabinets...and time worn linens?oh I know you are....just thinking about it makes your heartbeat just a little faster right??? ;)you see stacks of ironstone dishes and layers of grainsacks and you're off dreaming...oh I am right there with you!so in love with it all.....there's so much wonderful inspiration out there...on how to create these looks& finishes.....what an amazing invention pinterest is huh?and all the fabulous bloggers whoare so talented & share their projectswith us!I hope you are inspired today to do something fabulous!to move forward on something amazingin your home....even little baby steps....each day brings you a little closer to your dream...I'm off now to celebrate with Kenzers....Have a great day!!!xoxoxo,Shellagh{all images found here}﻿[...]

Happy Friday!!!my favorite day of the week!we are enjoying the most amazing late summer weather....mid 70's and the air is a bit crisp......it's the kind of weather that when youwalk outside...you can't help but takenote of the beautiful day....ahhhhhh....nice fresh air.....let's not even speak of what's coming....in let's see...roughly 2 months (if we're lucky...)yes, that would be the r.a.i.n. and thegrey skies....that will last roughly6-7 months....ugh....that leads me to my idea/question/point...grey walls.....do you like them?I do.totally drawn to them....we've got a very pale grey in ourmaster bedroomshown below...I have loved it...not regretted it one time...but what about in our living room?would it be too gloomy with all our grey skiesaround here?you might be able to see that we now have a "parchment paper"wall treatment....I must've painted it 5 years ago at least...it was quite the lengthy process...plasterbase coattop coat/glazethat's why I haven't been a huge hurry to repaint...although I'm feeling the need for a greyish tone...something like this would be perfect.....oh my goodness....totally 2die4 yeah?love it.so back to my original question....would grey walls work in the rainy nw??or would it get gloomy??cannot have g.l.o.o.m.y.what do you think?anyone have grey walls & grey skies??I'd love to hear your thoughts!!Hope you have an amazing weekend!xoxo,Shellagh{all images found here}﻿[...]

Hello everyone!!How's everybody doing today??I'm doing good. Busy busy...but gotmy workout in & I always feel so muchbetter after that!!keeps me on the straight & narrow, right??I've just been crushing overattic bedrooms lately....although I am still not readyfor fall & pumpkins...I am warming up to the idea of cozybedroom spaces....:)and cozy attic bedrooms....with whitefloors....mmmm yummy! painted out rafters....nice...it looks like they just painted the plywoodsub flooring in this room...love that trunk for a night stand...all washed out & faded ya know?ok this next room just makes me wantto move to an old farmhouse n.o.w.I've had this room stored away in a binder...torn out from a magazine from years ago....{back before we had Pinterest!!}I just love it....so simple & sweet....love the walls & the ceiling....part of me wants to install plank wallsin every single room in our house...but then again...I'm torn because I lovemy "faded french farmhouse plaster look"walls....they're kind of a washed outtaupe-ish, cream-ish color....k not to freak anyone out....but here's a little splash of color....hehehearen't those big wide plank floors so awesome?and the faded grey trunk?? love...ok....yeah ~ I probably woudn't have any {well so much} red...cuz well you know... don't wanna get wild & crazy here....but I do think it looks nice! :)no words needed for this amazingroom....what a dream....Anyone out there got an amazing attic space?or are you dreaming up a cozy attic room??Have a great day!!xoxo,Shellagh{all images found here}[...]

Hello everyone!!How is your week so far?I'm doing great!there are soooo many amazing ideasand tutorials out there....it was hard to narrow it down!!but I thought this little pitcher from Michelle @ Petite Michelle Louisewas just the cutest thing e.v.e.r.!!Michelle did a post that included thiscute little thing a few months ago &it's been filed in my Pinterest cabinetever since!!and she was so kind to share with mehow she did it!but before we get to that....let's look at some othersuper amazing stuff Michelle creates!aren't these book page bundles so darling???what is it about vintage and especially frenchbook pages tied with string with a cute littletag .... that makes us swoon???and if you really want to make us crazy....tear off the book covers & tie up witha cute ribbon & string.....now we are out of our minds in love!! oh yeah~ little french stamps here & there...oh my! ;)and we like our vintage bottles.....and if you take a vintage bottle, fill it with buttons...a n dadd some vintage paper .....yep ~ you guessed it~over the moon!everything Michelle does is justmind boggling to me!I seriously want to buy e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g.in her shop!~*~ok...so the darling little pitcher.....HOW do we do that???1) buy cute little pitcher at a thrift store...any color will do!2) spray paint it white3) hand stamp with "stayz on" ink4) seal with spray on poly sealerhow easy is that????I found some letter stamps at Michael's for under$10 & can't wait to try it!!Michelle's blog can be found hereand her little Etsy storecan be found here{she's actually on vacation right now...but be sure to goback ~ you'll be blown away!!}Have a wonderful evening!!!xoxo,Shellagh{all images via} [...]

Happy Monday!Hope you are all happy &ready for a new week!we had a great time on our little Seattlegetaway.....sunny & hot....lots of swimming & relaxing....a little sight seeing.....and back home...the kids had a blast & we made somefun memories! :)~*~ok....if I had a little time....I would be creating some s.e.r.i.o.u.s. chaosaround here.....many of you know how badly I want to redoour bathroom....it's one room in our house I have not touched....at. all.....it has the "builder original"pale pink counters...oooh yummmy! hahaha! the lovely original laminate floorwith little bits of pink & bluehere & there....oh yeah....it's a beauty!{not!}you know....all I r.e.a.l.l.y need is just a teensybit of time to recreate....I know exactly what I'd have Mr. T & T I'd do.....I'm sure we could handle it in maybe a week....I mean ~ how bad could it be...hauling outa big ol' bathtub/shower combo??tearing up a floor?ripping out a vanity??nothin' but fun! ;)but when I see ads on craiglist for tubs like this... for....$100$100$100!!{and it does include the claw feet.....}I seriously have to use a.l.l. restraintto control myself.....you with me??cuz I know after we gutted it....and laid down some plank flooring....and some plank walls...and added a cute little dresser vanity....like this....or this...{of course...not in yellow!}we'd be 90% of the way there!!oh man!!it's a very good thing {for Mr. T & T} thatI am kept so busy right now......no idle time for me....to get in trouble.....{dang it!!}but ya know??I'm thinking it's on the agenda for next year....or maybe our after Christmas project....we do that on occasion....when Mr. T & T has a week offwith nothing else he'd rather be doing.....right???hehehe!Got any big projects on your to-do list??Are you just dying to get your hands on an eyesore in your home???Do tell!xoxo,Shellagh{all images via Pinterest found here}[...]

Good morning!I'm so excited ~ we're off to Seattle in a couple hours....just a couple nights away but a getaway nonetheless...:)﻿I am anxious for a couple days of downtime....I've been working 12-14 hour days thisweek so I can go!Just finished a slipcover project (sofa) fora great friend....and they are *#^!&%= a lotof work!if you'd like a play by playon making one....you can read about another slipcoverproject hereit's been almost 3 years since I've madeone & there is definitely a reason for that!kinda like having a baby...you need time to forgetabout the delivery....& then you're like ahhhhthat wasn't so bad...let's have another! hehehe ;)I was searching through my pictures looking for something inspiring to sharewith you~ & found this amazing frenchfarmhouse....of course it's in france..where all the good stuff is..!it's supposed to be over 100 here for the nextcouple days!but only 90 in Seattle...woo-hoo!!ok...are you loving this kitchen????I love how each cabinet is stenciled!how cute is that???I'm thinking that would be a fairly easything to do with my cabinets....hmmmm......idea brewing......I'll file that somewhere in the back of my mind & maybe it'll resurface someday soon! ;)beautiful setting for breakfast huh?well I'm off to pack & do a couple last minutethings.....Hope your day is amazing!xoxoxo,Shellagh{images via}[...]

Good Morning!It's our first overcast day in many.....feels kinda like the beach around here...misty & dewy...feels kinda nice....I must admit!Thought I'd share with you what I'm eating these days.....don't know about you...but I really do notlike preparing/cooking/fixing food toeat in the middle of the day......that goes for me or anyone around me....;){kids definitely know they are in charge of their own breakfast & lunch...ok they are older ages 12-16 so they can totally handle it!}one meal a day (dinner for the family)is about all I can take! haha....For years Mr. T & T and I have eaten proteinshakes blended with fruit each morning...fast & easy & yummmmmmy too!this summer in the middle of everything elseI managed to freeze some yummy raspberriesand blackberriespeachesand nectarines...I was in a m.a.j.o.r. hurry to get it done...was leaving town in approx. 6 minutes...with a full box of nectarines & peaches sittingin my garage....argh!!!!!so I thought here goes....hope it works....and it did! thank goodness!I just sliced 'em updidn't bother peeling them...(no time for that!)and laid them out flat on several cookie sheets& literally threw them in the freezer!came home & bagged them in freezer ziplock baggies....I freeze berries the same way....don't wash themor they'll get mushy & squishy!just lay them out flat & freeze....run water over themprior to using....~*~so here's my favorite protein shake recipe....first gotta get a good protein powder...not too many carbs/sugars..this is one of my favorites...but I always buy vanilla...because I always mix mine w/ fruit...but chocolate is also good...it can be mixed with a tablespoon of naturalpeanut butter (yumm-o!)or a frozen banana...seriously yummy...ok...the recipe...all in a blender8 oz. water1 scoop vanilla protein powderhandful of frozen raspberriscouple slices of frozen peaches or nectarinesblend on high until thickdrink up!!I usually drink one for breakfast & a lot of the time lunch{cuz remember I'm exceedingly lazywith mid-day food prep}lately I've been wanting to add flax seedto my shakes as well....supposed to be verygood for us ya know! :)but in a nutshell....you're getting 24 grams of proteinlots of antioxidants & vitamins from the fruitand don't forget the fiber! gotta have that too!oh and approx. 150-175 caloriesdepending on how much fruit etc....and I'm perfectly content for a 2-3 hoursdo you drink protein shakes?smoothies?got a favorite?I swear I couldn't live without them!Have a great day!!xoxoxo,Shellagh{all images from here}[...]

Hello everyone!!!I know....I know...what has gotten into me postingso many times in one week??? :)It's Tuesday & I thought it wouldbe fun to share a fun tutorial with youeach Tuesday.....I originally found this on facebook& thought it was just adorable!!"totes adorbs" as my 15 year old would say! ;)it's fun finding so many bloggers &facebookers out there! Karen from the Art of Doing Stuffposted a great tutorial on this...she is just awesome & super funny!her blog covers just about every subjectdecor, food, workouts, remodeling & tons more!so hop on over & take a look... as shetakes you step by step on how to makethis super cute little basket!!Isn't it just darling for holding magazines,or whatever else you can dream up????ok....one more....have you come acrossRosemary of Villa Barnes??ok...this gal is nothing short of a creativegenius....s.e.r.i.o.u.s.l.y.!!{you all know if I type out a word like that it is serious!! hehehe!}she is just so over the moon talented!the things she creates are so gorgeous~it's just mind blowing!on this little frame (that was missing some trim)she hot glued silk flowers to it...painted it, added white gesso& voila! masterpiece!! so another great place to go forideas & learning new techniques!so click here to visit Rosemaryand click here to visit her Etsy shopand btw....she is also an absolutesweetheart & spreads sunshine wherevershe goes!! well I gotta get to the gym now!45 minutes of cardio....here I come!Hope your day is perfect!xoxoxo,Shellagh[...]

Happy Monday!We have had some beautifuldays here in the NW.....we suffer through months and months of rain to finally getour gorgeous summers.... {source}I am n.e.v.e.r. ready for and/or anxiousfor fall....n.e.v.e.r. one time.....but I can feel it creepin' in...the morning air is just starting to change...{source}My mom passed away in the fall ~{it's been almost 13 years now....}Just as fall was in full swing...so the smell of the air & the general "feel" of Autumnbrings back all those memories....so I'm still thinkin' of summer here!not ready for pumpkins....not ready for apple cider...{source}still soaking up the sun...and cherishing everyday with my kiddoshome!{source}what are your thoughts on the changingof the season?are you chomping at the bit for cooler days?ready to snuggle up indoors w/ a fire?or are you fighting it every step of the way??{source}ahhhh doesn't this picture just wannamake you go for a swim in a lakesomewhere???looks divine.....Hope your day is amazing!xoxo,Shellagh[...]

Happy Saturday!Today is wash day....I have several bolts of yummy linenthat will be washed & dried with my favorite lavender fabric softener....I wish wish wishI had a clothesline to hang them on.....such a feeling of nostalgia........linens on a clothesline...although it might be kinda hardto hang 30 yards of fabric....what a tangled mess it becomes in the dryer!nothing that a bunch of fluffing & hot iron won'ttake care of.....{good arm workout too...}I woke up early today....mind racing...thinking about all I need to do....it's kinda nice to be the only one up...while the family snoozes away..even Mr. T & T is still in bed!aren't these throws gorgeous??would love to add something likethese to the shop......What are your plans for the weekend?Hope you have a great one!!xoxoxo,Shellagh{all images via found here}[...]